Client is the world’s leader in providing services to scientific, technical and medical publishers and is the fifth largest producer of periodicals in the United States. Client focuses its resources on core publication services (journals, magazines, books/directories, etc.) and specialty packaging businesses. It provides services in integrating content management, production and distribution capabilities into customized print and electronic services packages that help simplify the jobs of professional publishers and maximize brands for Fortune 1000 companies.

Client owns different facilities across the United States for core publication services and uses different enterprise systems and platforms for managing the complete print production workflow like the Homegrown Enterprise Manufacturing System (HEMS) and products available in the industry like Logic, XBMS and Hagen.

• The HEMS (built on the AS/400 and RPG platform) suite of applications was customized to the specific needs of the client’s printing business and hence had been chosen as the platform of choice for future growth and IT consolidation.
• The client was looking for a partner who could help migrate the modular components of HEMS onto the J2EE technology platform and subsequently consolidate all the other sites and systems under the HEMS umbrella of workflows and operations.
• The Paper Procurement and Inventory Management module forms a key part of the HEMS and was chosen as the first candidate for re-engineering to the browser world, as paper is the highest dollar value item in the printing value chain and hence impacts the bottom-line the most.
• The next-generation paper procurement application was expected to be user friendly, browser based and highly functional portal, seamlessly integrated with external industry products for wireless bar coding and reporting engines.

• Cognizant employed the CMM Level 5 compliant user-centric phased iterative approach, which is in close alignment with the rational unified process for software development.
• As part of the RUP cycle, we conducted multiple business analysis and requirements refining session with key client stakeholders from multiple sites, using the proven and proprietary JRP and JAD workshops.
• These workshops helped define the scale and scope of the next-generation solution, while bringing all the sites together towards a common vision.
• Cognizant also conducted site surveys to study the variances in process workflows and business Practices across the different sister sites of the client to facilitate the charter of best Practices across sites.
• Results were distilled into business and technical design, which was transformed into a successful, user accepted portal based-solution.

• A standardized Web-based interface for paper procurement and management.
• A single-stop channel for integrating paper operations across the client’s sites with both upstream and downstream operations (paper mills and vendors, printing supply chain operations like Pre-press, Press, Warehouse and Distribution).
• Performance improvement and technology neutral platform standardization by introduction of J2EE architecture.
• Comprehensive Web interface helps all the operations within the application, from administering servers to online data submission to system.
• Near-real time, online paper inventory reports.
• System designed with a scalable architecture, satisfying the needs of all the sister sites of the client.